Angel Animals Story of the Week, 4-24-05, "A Cat Led Me to Volunteer" -- Angel Animals Story of the Week

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Date Posted: 13:31:56 04/26/05 Tue
Author: Angel Animals Network
Subject: Angel Animals Story of the Week, 4-24-05, "A Cat Led Me to Volunteer"

Angel Animals Story of the Week
April 24, 2005
Visit us at www.angelanimals.net

Dear Friends of Angel Animals,

Welcome to the Angel Animals Story of the Week.

Yesterday we joined the thousands of people who went to the Minnesota Horse Expo. It was fascinating to meet the people and the horses. We were there when Monty Roberts, the renowned "horse listener," gave a demonstration of his gentle methods for training horses. What a treat!

Since we are now starting to work on next year's book, ANGEL HORSES, we are learning much about these magnificent creatures and the people who are attracted to and rely upon them. At the Expo we met some loving folks who rescue horses and help them find good homes. We're hoping to get some stories from them.

We were honored to stroke the necks of beautiful animals whose eyes reflect the Light.

Today we have a treat. A poem from one of our favorite poets, Ardi Keim, and a story about a cat who showed a woman the possibilities for reaching out to give her love.

We welcome your stories for possible future publication in this newsletter or in one of our upcoming books.

We invite you to e-mail this week's newsletter in its entirety to others who might enjoy it.

Animal blessings,
Allen & Linda Anderson

* * * * *

POEM OF THE WEEK

CAT, HATCHOO
By Ardi Keim

Cat sits to fill my lap with light and love.
Window lit accents its intent.
Pet and pull on nape of neck
to this submissive rapture.
Pandemonium, purring song and fluff,
shedding puff takes to flight,
celebrating Spring with dance in sun
to light love-making
fancy feline dreams come true.
Purr and fur in sound and light come through.
See the breathing, heaving flesh and art airborne of this love orgy-
A messy morning with love and cat,
Hatchoo!

(c) 2005 Ardi Keim

BIO:
Ardi Keim enjoys the sound and rhythm of words as art. He lives in Minnesota with his wife, Marily, and Miles, the love cat.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

A CAT LED ME TO VOLUNTEER
By Danielle Thompson

Two years ago, I was adopted by a beautiful black cat who I named Gary. A woman I worked with helped me find him, and he became my best friend next to my Mom. Both Mom and I worked all day and felt bad leaving Gary alone. Yet we were hesitant to adopt another cat, because Gary ran the house, and we didn't know how he'd take to an intruder on his turf. So the idea of another cat, remained only an idea.

I went away to graduate school five hours from my hometown. I was very depressed there and left a week into my third semester. I moved back in with Mom and Gary and felt like a failure.

I'd been going to school for most of my life and now, here I was at home again, working at the job I'd held during the summers of college. I looked into applying to another school closer to home but was very overwhelmed and needed a break. I was so down and out; I wanted to do something that would make me happy.

One thing that always makes me happy is being with animals. So I began looking into volunteering at the ASPCA. But something held me back from putting in my application. Since I would be home more, I began pushing the idea of adopting another cat. We decided we would leave it in God's hands. If we found a cat who would love us, especially Gary, we'd know this was the one to come into our home.

One day we stopped to pick up kitty litter at Pet Smart. As usual, we went back to look at the cats who were up for adoption. I had always wanted a Russian blue, so a beautiful solid gray cat caught my eye. As we were cooing over the cats, a mother and daughter, who were volunteers, asked if we would like to come back and pet the cats. That had never happened before, so my Mom and I excitedly answered yes.

As Mom walked in directly to the gray cat, another cat made me stop in my tracks. He was all white with an orange face and tail. I was unable to pass him. After the volunteer opened his cage, the cat was hesitant but after checking me out, he let me pet him. When I went to kiss him on the head, he rubbed up against my face and began purring. I immediately filled out an adoption application. I also picked up a volunteer application.

A couple of days later, I had gall bladder surgery, so when the volunteer called to discuss my application to adopt, Mom took the call. We were approved for the adoption. We went to the shelter to complete the process. I decided to call the kitty Bob after my favorite artist, Bob Dylan.

I brought back the volunteer application I had filled out. I discussed with the volunteer who had approved for us to adopt Bob how I was thinking of volunteering at the ASPCA. I found out they did euthanasia, which would have upset me very much to be a part of. I also found out that the adoption agency was in great need of volunteers at their intake center.

At the intake center, they house around forty cats at a time who are not caged but allowed to roam around a building which is on the property of the director of the adoption agency.
If cats are not adopted, they are allowed to live there until their natural death. No animal is killed for not being adopted.

In the end finding Bob not only allowed me to add another member to our family, but also gave me the opportunity to pursue an activity that I had wanted to do. It saved me from volunteering at the ASPCA where I would have been unhappy.

I didn't realize the amazing way the details of the last few weeks had fallen into place until I read "A Sparrow Led Me To Volunteer" by Julie Johnson Olson in Angel Animals: Exploring Our Spiritual Connection with Animals.

I had been thinking as I read Angel Animals, that nothing spiritual ever happened to me. Then the events of the last month hit me like a brick. I immediately grabbed my computer and began typing. As open- minded as I try to be spiritually, it took Julie's story to make me realize the miracles happening in my own life.

The book and Julie's story in particular are teaching me that not only am I connected to animals but to other people. I also feel that I'm learning that God works through everything and everyone. That makes life so much more exciting!

Bob has added so much to our little family. Gary loves him. The two cats play together and then fall asleep beside each other.

I think our cat Gary has been more loving since Bob began living with us. Gary isn't lonely anymore and has another playmate. Bob has a family who loves him, and Mom and I have two boys who add love, laughter and happiness to our lives. I look forward to helping care for many cats and kittens who will add these things to other families the way that Bob and Gary have to mine.

Thank you for the opportunity, Bob!

BIO:
Danielle Thompson is twenty-four years old. She lives in Darby, Pennsylvania.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

Are there circumstances that are nudging you to volunteer to offer your love and service to animals and/or humans?

* * * * *

ANGEL ANIMALS QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Dogs wait for us faithfully."
--Marcus Tullius Cicero

"Work -- other people's work -- is an intolerable idea to a cat. Can you picture cats herding sheep or agreeing to pull a cart? They will not inconvenience themselves to the slightest degree."
--Dr. Louis J. Camuti

"There is little that separates humans from other sentient beings - we all feel pain, we all feel joy, we all deeply crave to be alive and live freely, and we all share this planet together."
--Gandhi

"In all things, even in the most recondite mysteries of the soul, nature is the first and finest teacher."
--Thomas Moore

* * * * *

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANGEL CATS: Divine Messengers of Comfort, GOD'S MESSENGERS: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine, and ANGEL ANIMALS: Exploring Our Spiritual Connection with Animals are available at online or regular bookstores and at many gift shops that sell animal books. ANGEL CATS is also a selection of One Spirit Book Club.

Visit our other Website: www.writingontherun.com and subscribe to the free online Writing on the Run Tip of the Week. The May '05 Writer's Digest magazine named Writing on the Run as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers. Writer's Digest E-Newsletter recommended the website (www.writingontherun.com).

* * * * *

OTHER INFORMATION

The Angel Animals Network is devoted to collecting and disseminating original, true stories about the spiritual connection between people and animals. You can learn more about the Angel Animals Network at www.angelanimals.net.

If you send this newsletter to others (and we hope that you will), please don't change it in anyway and include the information above about the Angel Animals Network. Thank you.

This newsletter is sent to you by the Angel Animals Network. Copyright 2005, Allen and Linda Anderson, Angel Animals Network. All rights reserved. Nothing in this newsletter may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual authors and/or copyright owners. Angel Animals(r) is a registered trademark.

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